Virbhadra calls on PM, seeks Rs 1,000-cr relief for HP

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought Rs 1,000-crore relief package for relief and restoration of flood-ravaged areas of the state and Kinnaur in particular.

Chief minister Virbhadra Singh on Friday called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought Rs 1,000-crore relief package for relief and restoration of flood-ravaged areas of the state and Kinnaur in particular.

The chief minister apprised the Prime Minister that the state had suffered a loss of Rs 2,575 crore on account of heavy rain, while 24 people died due to landslides.

He said as many as 1,239 people have been evacuated to safer places so far, adding that Kinnaur district is the worst affected which received unprecedented 1229% above the normal rainfall from June 15 to 17. He said funds amounting to Rs 28 crore had been released as an immediate relief measure by the state government.

The chief minister said more than 10,000 animals had perished in the flash floods and more than 1,000 houses have been either fully damaged or have been rendered beyond repair.

He said loss to private property was estimated at Rs 100 crore. He said 2,120 roads in the state had been badly affected, resulting in a loss of over Rs 1,000 crore. He said 525 water supply schemes, 280 irrigation schemes, five sewerage schemes and 30 flood protection works had been damaged, resulting in a loss of over Rs 200 crore.

The chief minister said more than 50,000 hectares of agriculture land had been affected, resulting in a loss of over Rs 200 crore to the crops, besides permanent damage to agriculture land.

He said an area of over 50,000 hectares of horticulture land had been affected, resulting in loss of over Rs 400 crore to the crops, besides permanent damages to orchards.He maintained that electricity infrastructure had been severely damaged and various power projects have also suffered, leading to a loss of Rs 500 crore.

He demanded that the senior engineer of the Border Roads Organisation should be stationed at Kinnaur to expedite the restoration work on National Highway 22 and requested the ministry of defence to formulate long-term plan particularly for the stretch from Wangtu to Kaurik.

He said the road had been ravaged by repeated floods each year since 2000 and suggested for development of alternative road connectivity at higher elevation for a lasting solution. He demanded development of viable alternative road to ensure all-weather road connectivity in the entire region.